Mercedes-Benz Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

Mercedes-Benz is recalling about 8,396 vehicles over a problem with the steering. Deactivated hands-off detection will prevent DISTRONIC system features from functioning, including warnings to grab the steering wheel and calling first responders as part of the Active Emergency Stop Assist, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Campaign
22V189000
Manufacturer
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Reported
25 March 2022
Vehicles
8,396
Built between
Not published
Models
17
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
Manufacturer
Owners notified
9 May 2022
Repaired
95%
Unrepaired
381

Does this affect my vehicle?

The manufacturer did not publish a build-date range for this recall, so the model and year list below is the only way to tell whether your vehicle is covered.

  • 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLS53
  • 2021-2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG E53
  • 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG E63S
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG EQS
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT43
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT53
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT63 S
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL55
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL63
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 300
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLS 450
  • 2021-2022 Mercedes-Benz E 350
  • 2021-2022 Mercedes-Benz E 450
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580
  • 2022 Mercedes-Benz S 500
  • 2021-2022 Mercedes-Benz S 580

Repair progress

381 of 8,396 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q1 2024.

95% repaired — 8,015 of 8,396 reported

Manufacturers file these figures with NHTSA each quarter. Vehicles the manufacturer could not trace, or that have been scrapped or exported, are counted separately and are not included in the unrepaired figure.

What the defect is

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2022 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, EClass Coupe/Convertible, CLS, AMG GT 4-doors Coupe, and EQS vehicles with a heated leather steering wheel. Due to a software error in the hand detection control unit, the hands-off detection might not detect when the driver's hands are away from the steering wheel when using the Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC system.

What could happen

Deactivated hands-off detection will prevent DISTRONIC system features from functioning, including warnings to grab the steering wheel and calling first responders as part of the Active Emergency Stop Assist, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

What gets fixed

Dealers will update the hand detection control unit software for the DISTRONIC system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 6, 2022.

Parts involved

  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009023262Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009025475Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009025575Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009026471Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009026571Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009027485Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009027585Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009028281Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009028381Hand Detection Control Unit Software
  • Software Hand Brake SystemA0009028672Hand Detection Control Unit Software

Part numbers are as filed by the manufacturer and are listed for reference. Your dealer will confirm the correct part for your vehicle.

Timeline

  1. Recall reported to NHTSA25 March 2022
  2. Owners notified9 May 2022
  3. Latest repair reportQ1 2024 — 95% repaired

Your rights

A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.

That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 25 March 2022.

To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.

Manufacturer contact

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040010.

Official source

Manufacturer's recall number
2022040010
Recalling manufacturer
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Recall initiated by
MFR

Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Additional notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Check your own vehicle

This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.

A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.

Same component

Same brand